Arsenal 0 - Valencia 0

Arsenal: Seaman; Lauren, Campbell, Cygan, Ashley Cole; Ljungberg (Wiltord 78'), Vieira (Parlour 38'), Gilberto Silva, Pires (Kanu 83'); Henry, Bergkamp. 4-4-2.
Valencia: Palop; Curro Torres, Ayala, Pellegrino, Carboni; Albelda, Baraja (Fabio Aurelio 87'); Angulo, Aimar (Marchena 80'), Vicente (Rufete 68'); Carew. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 88. Zlatan. Ran on to Van der Vaart pass to round Cañizares and score.
1-1. 92. Angulo. Picked up loose ball on edge of area and shot on turn past keeper.

A valiant Valencia held on with ten men to secure a goalless draw at Arsenal. Rafa Benítez's side put in a tight performance at the back, with Palop making a series of excellent saves in both halves to keep the scores level. The reserve keeper was only playing due to an injury to Cañizares, but he reacted well to save from a deflected Bergkamp shot on the half hour mark, and smothered another effort from Henry before the break. Ljungberg should have done better though midway through the half when he failed to control Bergkamp's cross when alone in front of goal, and Wenger's side must have been hopeful that they would score after the interval.

Up to that point Valencia had not troubled Seaman, but Carew did at least get an effort off just after the restart, even though it went wide. It was Palop again though who kept the visitors in the game, brilliantly charging down a shot from Ljungberg and making a flying save from Bergkamp. The Spaniards were reduced to ten men with twenty minutes to go when Angulo elbowed Cygan in the chest in front of the referee, and soon afterwards Benítez pulled off Aimar and Vicente to defend the point.

The best action though was left to the last couple of minutes, with Palop making a vital stop from Kanu and Marchena clearing off the line from Wiltord on the rebound, and Carew hitting a snap shot just wide of Seaman's goal and then forcing Campbell to clear off Arsenal's goal line when he lifted a shot back towards the net. Arsenal and Ajax top group B with four points each, but Valencia are still well placed to go through when the competition returns in February having drawn their opening two games. The Spaniards next opponents Roma are surprisingly in last place without a point to their name.